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United States Patent |
5,131,234
|
Furukawa
,   et al.
|
July 21, 1992
|
Ice stock level detecting apparatus for ice making machines
Abstract
An ice stock detecting apparatus includes a thermostat having a temperature
sensor element and a holder for holding the sensor element in a spaced
relationship with an ice stocker inner wall. The holder includes a pair of
holding member fixedly mounted on the inner wall to project therefrom
inwardly of the stocker, and a protecting member extending between the
holding members. The holder supports the sensor element with downward
inclination toward one end thereof. The protecting member has a top end
portion disposed under the sensor element and inclined in a manner similar
to the sensor element at a greater angle than the latter.
Inventors:
|
Furukawa; Yoshio (Nagoya, JP);
Kamitani; Yoshinori (Kounan, JP)
|
Assignee:
|
Hoshizaki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyoake, JP)
|
Appl. No.:
|
771501 |
Filed:
|
October 4, 1991 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Oct 09, 1990[JP] | 2-105657[U] |
Current U.S. Class: |
62/137; 62/344; 200/61.2; 340/612 |
Intern'l Class: |
F25C 001/12 |
Field of Search: |
62/137,344
200/61.2,61.21
340/612
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
2826899 | Mar., 1958 | Muffly | 62/344.
|
2836038 | May., 1958 | Morgan | 62/137.
|
2963885 | Dec., 1960 | Loewenthal | 62/344.
|
3043113 | Jul., 1962 | Muffly | 62/137.
|
3234750 | Feb., 1966 | Swanson | 62/344.
|
3931911 | Jan., 1976 | Kohl | 200/61.
|
Primary Examiner: Tapolcai; William E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Brooks Haidt Haffner & Delahunty
Claims
We claim:
1. An ice stock level detecting apparatus for an ice making machine,
comprising:
contact-type temperature sensing means including a temperature sensor
element having opposed end portions; and
a holder assembly for holding said sensor element in a spaced relationship
with an inner surface of an ice storage chamber, said holder assembly
including a pair of holding members mounted on the inner surface of the
ice storage chamber and projecting therefrom inwardly of the ice storage
chamber to hold the corresponding end portions of said sensor element, and
a protecting member extending between said holding members, said holding
members supporting said sensor element so that it inclines downwardly
toward one of said end portions, said protecting member having a top end
portion positioned below said sensor element and disposed with downward
inclination toward said one end portion of said sensor element at a
greater angle than said sensor element.
2. An ice stock level detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said temperature sensing means comprises a thermostat having a small
diameter tubular portion connected to said one end portion of said sensor
element and heated by a heater.
3. An ice stock level detecting apparatus according to claim 2, said
holding members being formed with apertures for holding said sensor
element at said opposed end portions, respectively, wherein a distance
from a line between centers of said apertures to the inner surface of the
ice storage chamber on which said holding members are mounted is designed
so that at least one ice piece can pass downwardly between said sensor
element when mounted on said holding members in said apertures and the
inner surface of the ice storage chamber and that said distance is
progressively increased toward said heater of said thermostat.
4. An ice stock level detecting apparatus according to claim 3, said top
end portion of said protecting member obliquely extending toward said
apertures, wherein a distance between an upper edge of said top end
portion and said sensor element is increased toward said heater by
downwardly inclining said upper edge at a greater angle than said sensor
element.
5. An ice stock level detecting apparatus for an ice making machine,
comprising:
a small diameter tubular portion heated by a heater;
a temperature sensor thermostat element having opposed end portions one of
which is connected to said tubular portion; and
a holder assembly for holding said sensor element in a spaced relationship
with an inner wall surface of an ice stocker, said holder assembly
including a pair of holding members fixedly secured to the inner wall
surface and projecting from said inner wall surface inwardly of the ice
stocker to hold said respective end portions of said sensor element, a
protecting member extending between said pair of holding members and
disposed under said sensor element, and a shielding member extending
between said holding members and disposed above said sensor element, said
protecting and shielding members being disposed with downward inclination
from an upper edge of said shielding member to a lower edge of said
protecting member such that an upper edge of said protecting member and a
lower edge of said shielding member are spaced from said sensor element
with predetermined gaps, respectively, and that a virtual plane
interconnecting said upper edge of said protecting member and said lower
edge of said shielding member intersects said sensor element above an axis
thereof.
6. An ice stock level detecting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
said holding members are of a substantially triangular shape and have
substantially semicircular notches formed in oblique edges thereof, in
which said sensor element is held.
7. An ice stock level detecting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein
said sesor element is held by said holding members with cushion members
being interposed therebetween.
8. An ice stock level detecting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein
said pair of holding members are disposed at a same positional level.
9. An ice stock level detecting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
said holding members have apertures formed therein for holding said sensor
element at said end portions, the top end portion of said protecting
member extending with an inclination toward said apertures, a distance
between said upper edge of said top end portion of said protecting member
and said sensor element is progressively increased toward said heater by
downwardly inclining said upper edge relative to said sensor element.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an ice stock level detecting apparatus for ice
making machines and more particularly to a holder assembly for holding the
temperature sensor element of a thermostat of an ice stock level detecting
apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In automatic ice making machines, ice pellets or pieces as produced are
generally stored in an ice storage chamber (also referred to as a
stocker). When the stored ice pieces (i.e. the ice stock level) has
reached a predetermined amount, the ice making operation has to be
automatically stopped. To this end, the ice making machine is provided
with an apparatus for detecting the predetermined amount of the stocked
ice pieces, which apparatus generally comprises a thermostat provided with
a temperature sensor element adapted to be disposed within the ice storage
chamber or stocker.
It has however been found that the thermostat is likely to erroneously
operate so that the ice filled state within the stocker may possibly be
detected notwithstanding of the fact that the ice pieces are not yet
stored to the level corresponding to the position of the temperature
sensor element, because it responds to the cold air cooled down by an ice
making unit during the ice making operation cycle and by the radiation
emanating from those ice pieces which are stored within the stocker. As an
attempt for solving this problem, it has heretofore been known to mount
the temperature sensor element at the tip of a small diameter tube wound
with a heating wire so that the thermostat responds to the lowering in
temperature brought about by the contact of the sensor element with the
ice piece to thereby detect the predetermined ice stock level. In order to
detect with high accuracy the temperature drop caused by the contact with
the ice piece, the temperature sensor element should preferably be
implemented with a low thermal capacity or a reduced surface area. For
this reason, the temperature sensor element was formed in a very thin or
fine elongated structure.
Also, the above temperature sensor element is held so as to project from an
inner wall surface of the stocker in order that the sensor element can
readily contact the ice piece. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, a
holder A having a projection B of inverted L-like cross-section is fixedly
mounted on an inner wall surface C of a stocker by means of screws D or
the like, and a temperature sensor element F is mounted on a vertically
disposed tongue plate E of the projection B by clamps G. A small diameter
tube H extending from the temperature sensor element F is wound with a
heating wire I and led out to a controller of the ice making machine (not
shown).
As the temperature sensor element F of the above-discussed ice stock level
detecting apparatus is very thin and simply supported between a pair of
bifurcated suspending arms extending downwardly from the vertical tongue
plate E, it is very susceptible to deformation and injury under the
influence of external forces possibly applied to the element when the ice
pieces are taken out, resulting in the intolerable degradation or lost of
the ice detection capability of the ice stock level detecting apparatus.
For example, when ice pieces J stored within the stocker are to be taken
out, a scoop of a small size having a short half or grip (not shown) is
usually employed. In this case, upon taking out the ice pieces, the scoop
is put into a heap K of ice pieces J, moved horizontally and then swung
upwardly around a root of the grip to thereby scoop up the ice pieces. In
this connection, it is noted that so far as the ice stock level detecting
apparatus operates normally, the ice stock level within the stocker will
remain short of the height of the termperature sensor element F.
Accordingly, when the ice pieces are scooped up, an external force of the
upward direction is likely to be transmitted to the temperature sensor
element F as will be understood from FIG. 6. As a result, the termperature
sensor element F is deformed or damaged as mentioned above.
As an approach to protect the temperature sensor element against the
deformation, it has also been proposed to enclose the sensor element with
a perforated protection tube (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model
Publication No. 141679/1986). However, this structure also suffers from a
problem that because the temperature sensor element is housed within the
perforated protection tube, the sensor element is not easy to contact with
the ice pieces nevertheless of the presence of apertures in the protection
tube and that any ice piece once brought into contact with the temperature
sensor element through the aperture continues to stay in that contact
position until it has been defrozened. Thus, the known sensor element is
difficult to reliably detect a decrease in the ice stock level.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an ice stock level
detecting apparatus for ice making machines incorporating an improved
termperature sensor element holding structure, which facilitates the
sensor element to contact with the ice pieces while protecting it against
external forces and allowing the ice pieces brought into contact with the
sensor element to easily move away therefrom.
The present invention is thus directed to an ice stock level detecting
apparatus for ice making machines, which apparatus comprises a thermostat
including a small diameter tube portion heated by a heater and a
termperature sensor element connected to the small diameter tube portion,
and a holder assembly for holding the sensor element at a position spaced
from an inner surface of an ice stocker.
With the above object in view, there is provided according to one aspect of
the present invention an ice stock level detecting apparatus for an ice
making machine, which comprises contact-type temperature sensing means
provided with a temperature sensor element, and a holder assembly for
holding the sensor element in a spaced relationship with an inner surface
of an ice stocker. The holder assembly includes a pair of holding members
mounted on the stocker inner surface so as to project therefrom inwardly
of the ice stocker to hold the sensor element at both ends thereof, and a
protecting member extending between the hlding members. The holding
members support the sensor element in a manner allowing it to be inclined
downwardly toward one end thereof. The protecting member having a top end
portion positioned below the sensor element is disposed with downward
inclination toward one end thereof at a greater angle than the sensor
element in the same direction as the latter.
According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided an ice
stock level detecting apparatus comprising a small diameter tubular
portion heated by a heater, a temperature sensing thermostat element
having one end connected to the tubular portion, a pair of holding members
fixedly secured to the inner wall surface of the ice stocker so as to
project therefrom inwardly of the ice stocker to hold the respective end
portions of the sensor element in a spaced relationship with the inner
wall surface, a protecting member extending between the holding members
and under the sensor element, and a shielding member extending between the
holding members and above the sensor element. The protecting and shielding
members are disposed with downward inclination such that an upper edge of
the protecting member and a lower edge of the shielding member are spaced
from the sensor element with predetermined gaps, respectively, and that a
virtual plane interconnecting the upper edge of the protecting member and
the lower edge of the shielding member intersects the sensor element above
an axis thereof.
With the above arrangement of the ice stock level detecting apparatus
according to the invention, at least a portion of a peripheral surface of
the sensor element which is located beyond and above the protecting member
can be readily brought into contact with ice pieces to be thereby cooled
when the height of a heap of ice pieces reaches a predetermined level,
because that portion is exposed within the ice stocker. For taking out the
ice pieces, a part of ice pieces will be moved upwardly because of the
scooping-up operation as previously described in conjunction with the
prior art shown in FIG. 6. In that case, if the protecting member were not
present, the upwardly moving ice pieces would contact and deform the
sensor element. However, according to this invention, the protecting
member is disposed beneath the sensor element to prevent the ice pieces
from being moved upwardly beyond the protecting member to thereby protect
the sensor element from being injured by the ice pieces.
With the ice stock level detecting apparatus according to one aspect of the
present invention, the holder assembly holds the sensor element so as to
be inclined toward one end thereof, while the upper edge of the protecting
member is disposed with an inclination similar to that of the sensor
element but at a greater angle than the latter. Because of this, even the
ice pieces are placed between the temperature sensor element and the upper
edge of the protecting member, they can slidingly move downwardly along
the sensor element or the upper edge of the protecting member while being
supjected to a force component in the direction toward the inner space of
the stocker. Thus, the ice piece can not remain in contact with the sensor
element for a long time but can immediately drop without encouontering any
substantial obstacle.
With the ice stock level detecting apparatus according to another aspect of
the invention, no inclination relation exists between the sensor element
and the upper edge of the protecting member. However, because the
protecting and shielding members are disposed such that the upper edge of
the protecting member and the lower edge of the shielding member are
spaced from the sensor element with the predetermined gaps, respectively,
and with such downward inclination that a virtual plane interconnecting
the upper edge of the protecting member and the lower edge of the
shielding member intersects the sensor element at a position above the
longitudinal axis thereof, there is no room for causing the ice pieces to
be placed between the sensor element and the upper edge of the protecting
member or between the sensor element and the inner surface of the stocker.
The above and other objects, features and advantage of the invention will
be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction
with preferred embodiments thereof by reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front view showing an ice stock level detecting apparatus
according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view generally showing a holder assembly of the
apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing, with several portions
in section, a structure of an ice making machine equipped with the ice
stock level detecting apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
FIG. 4 is a fragmental perspective view showing a holder assembly according
to a second embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4A is a sectional view taken along a line 4A--4A in FIG. 4;
FIG. 5 is a fragmental perspective view showing a holder assembly according
to a third embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 5A is an end view taken in the direction indicated by an arrow 5A in
FIG. 5; and
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a structure of a conventional ice
stock level detecting apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the following, the present invention will be described in detail in
conjunction with preferred embodiments thereof by reference to the
accompanying drawings in which like or equivalent parts are denoted by
like reference symbols.
Referring to FIG. 3, an ice making machine includes a casing 20 which
accommodates therein a fan motor 21, a coolant compressor 22, a condenser
23 and others, which are these components being interconnected through a
coolant circulation pipe (not shown) to constitute a freezing circuit.
Disposed within a space communicated with an ice storage chamber or
stocker 1 are a raw water tank 27, an ice guide plate 28, an ice making
unit 26 and a holder assembly 10 for supporting an ice stock level
detecting apparatus and so forth. The ice making unit 26 is adapted to be
refrigerated by means of an evaporator (not shown) which constitutes a
part of the above-mentiond freezing circuit.
Water stored within the raw water tank 27 is supplied to the ice making
unit 26 by a motor-driven pump 25 during an ice making cycle. In a
defreezing cycle, ice pellets or pieces developed in the ice making cycle
are harvested from the ice making unit 26 into the ice storage chamber or
stocker 1 through the ice guide plate 28. A reference numeral 2
schematically denotes the ice pieces thus accumulated within the stocker
1. The components of the ice making machine which are operated in the ice
making cycle and the ice defreezing cycle are under the control of a
control unit which is accommodated within an electric equipment box 24.
Side walls as well as a ceiling wall 29 of the stocker 1 are constituted by
heat insulating plates. A door 30 is normally closed and opened when ice
pellets are to be taken out.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing in what manner the afore-mentioned
holder assembly 10, a thermostat 16 and a heater 17 constituting parts of
the ice stock level detecting apparatus are mounted, and FIG. 2 shows in
detail only the holder assembly 10.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the holder assembly 10 includes a pair of
spaced mounting base portions 11a and 11b having respective screw holes
11c formed therein. Projecting from the mounting bases 11a and 11b are
holding members 14a and 14b connected together at front ends thereof by a
protecting or guard member 12.
The holding members 14a and 14b are formed with apertures 13 for mounting
therein bushings 15 (shown in FIG. 1), respectively. Each aperture 13 is
communicated with a slot 13a which upwardly extends therefrom to the top
of the corresponding holding member. A single-dot dash line 13b represents
a center axis extending through the centers of the apertures 13. A
temperature sensor element 16a of the thermostat 16 shown in FIG. 1 is
mounted in such orientation that the longitudinal axis thereof coincides
with the center axis 13b.
Turning back to FIG. 1, the temperature sensor element 16a of the
thermostat 16 inserted through the known bushings 15, which are fitted in
the holding members 14a and 14b of the holder assembly 10, extends to the
right as viewed in the figure and terminates in a small diameter tubular
portion 16b. The tubular portion 16b extends through a wall 1a of the ice
storage chamber or stocker 1 with a sleeve 18 being interposed
therebetween, in which the tubular portion 16b is enclosed by a heater 17
in a manner known.
The holder assembly 10 is mounted on an inner wall surface 1b of the
stocker 1 such that the temperature sensor element 16a is disposed with
downward inclination toward the right-hand side so that the small diameter
tube portion 16b and the heater 17 assume a lower level than the
temperature sensor element. Distance between the centers of the apertures
13 formed in the holding members 14a and 14b and the mounting surface of
the base portions 11a and 11b is preferably selected to be of such a size
that at least one ice piece or pellet can pass downwardly through a gap
defined by the temperature sensor element 16a and the opposite inner wall
surface 1b of the stocker 1 and that the gap is progressively increased
toward the small diameter tube portion 16a. Further, the top end portion
12a of the protecting or guard member 12 is bent with such inclination
relative to the apertures 13 that a space or gap defined between a top
edge 12b of the bent portion 12a and the center axis 13b of the apertures
13 and hence the temperature sensor element 16a is progressively increased
toward the right-hand side as viewed in the figure.
In the ice making machine having the above-described ice stock level
detector, when the amount of the ice pieces within the stocker 1 is
progressively increased and reached to the level where the ice piece 2
(FIG. 3) is brought into contact with the temperature sensor element 16a
to thereby absorb heat therefrom, the thermostat 16 is then actuated to
stop the ice making operation cycle in a known manner. When the level of
the heap of ice pellets becomes lower, the ice piece 2 placed in contact
with the temperature sensor element 16a tends to slidingly move to the
right along the temperature sensor element 16a and the top edge 12b of the
guard member 12 while being subjected to a downward force component until
the ice pellet 2 drops passing through the gap defined between the top
edge 12b and the temperature sensor element 16a or passing beyond the top
edge 12b. Further, even the ice pellets are held between the temperature
sensor element 16a and the opposite inner wall surface 1b of the stocker
1, they can readily drop because the temperature sensor element 16a is
disposed with such inclination that the distance between the element 16a
and the opposite inner wall surface 1b of the stocker 1 progressively
increases toward the right-hand side as previously described. Thus, they
provide no obstacle to the detection of decrease in the amount or level of
the heap of ice pellets.
It should further be mentioned that because the end portions of the
temperature sensor element 16a and the top edge 12b of the guard member 12
located closer to the heater 17 heating the small diameter tube portion
16b are inclined downwardly, i.e. because the heater 17 is mounted at a
lower vertical level, the ice pellet 2 brought into contact with the
temperature sensor element 16a tends to be displaced rightwardly (as
viewed in the figure) to a location where the temperature sensitivity of
the element 16a is high. Thus, the ice level detection sensitivity is
correspondingly enhanced. In this conjunction, it should be added that if
lowering of the detection sensitivity to some extent is permissible, the
temperature sensor element 16a and the top edge 12b of the guard member 12
may be disposed with downward inclination in the opposite direction (i.e.
toward the left in FIGS. 1 and 2).
The present invention is never restricted to the first embodiment described
above but susceptible to various modifications and changes in design, some
of which will be described below.
FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the invention (only a half of the
holder assembly is illustrated for simplification). Referring to FIG. 4, a
shielding member 19 is mounted on the inner wall surface 1b of the stocker
1 at a position to overlie the temperature sensor element 16a to thereby
partially cover the gap defined between the inner wall surface 1b and the
temperature sensor element 16a. The front edge 19a of the shielding member
19 should be preferably positioned as close as possible to the temperature
sensor element 16a so that no ice pellets can be placed between the front
edge 19a and the temperature sensor element 16a. Additionally, the
shielding member 19 should be preferably so disposed that when the front
edge 19a is virtually extended forwardly, the virtual extension will
intersect the temperature sensor element 16a above the center axis 13b
thereof, as can be seen in FIG. 4A. With the shielding member 19 being
provided in this manner, it is possible to ensure that the ice pellets are
positively prevented from staying between the temperature sensor element
16a and the opposite inner wall 1a of the stocker 1 without employing such
an arrangement that the distance between them is progressively increased
as described hereinbefore in conjunction with FIG. 1.
FIGS. 5 and 5A show a third embodiment of the invention (only a half of the
holder assembly is illustrated for simplification). Referring to FIGS. 5
and 5A, the holding member 14a extending from the mounting base portion
11a is configured in a triangular shape and the temperature sensor element
16a is supported on a semicircular notch 32 formed in the oblique side
edge of the holding member 14a through a suitable cushion member 33. It
should be understood that a right half portion of the holder assembly
according to the third embodiment is structured similarly to the left half
portion, although not shown, and the right mounting base portion may be
positioned at the same level as the left mounting base portion or
alternatively at a level lower or higher than the latter. In order to
securely hold the temperature sensor element 16a, the lateral edge portion
of the shielding member 19 is mounted on the oblique edge of the holding
member 14a by appropriate means so as to press the cushion member 33 from
above, while the guard member 31 is also mounted on the oblique side of
the holding member 14a by suitable means to press down the cushion member
33.
In this way, the shielding member 19 disposed above the termperature sensor
element 16a covers the gap defined between the inner stocker wall surface
1b and the temperature sensor element 16a. As in the second embodiment,
the front edge 19a of the shielding member 19 is preferably positioned as
close as possible to the temperature sensor element 16a so that any ice
pellets are inhibited from being held between the front edge 19a and the
temperature sensor element 16a. Further, the shielding member 19 should be
so disposed that a virtual forward extension of the front edge 19a thereof
intersects the temperature sensor element 16a above the center axis
thereof as can be seen in FIG. 5A. Furthermore, it is desireable to
dispose the guard member 31 as close as possible to the temperature sensor
element 16a such that the ice pieces can be easily brought into contact
with the temperature sensor element 16a. It is also required that ice
pieces be positively prevented from being held between the rear edge 31a
of the guard member 31 and the temperature sensor element 16a , and that a
virtual rearward extention of the rear edge 31a will intersect the
temperature sensor element 16a above the center axis 13 thereof, as can be
seen in FIG. 5A. Namely, a virtual plane 31b interconnecting the lower
edge or front edge 19a of the shielding member 19 and the upper edge or
rear edge 31a of the guard member 31 should intersect the temperature
sensor element 16a at a position above the center axis 13b thereof.
In the above described third embodiment, the temperature sensor element 16a
and the upper edge of the guard member 31 need not be provided in a rather
complicated oblique relation as in the first and second embodiments in
order to achieve the object of the present invention, as the shielding
member 19 and the guard member 31 are mounted on the oblique sides of the
triangular holding members 14a (if the cushion member 33 is pressed down
by another not shown clamp means, the shielding member 19 and the guard
member 31 may be mounted on the inner wall 1b of the stocker), so that the
shielding member 19 and the guard member 31 extend inwardly of the
shorcker 1 from the inner wall 1b thereof with their respective lower and
upper edges being positioned close to the temperature sensor element 16a.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing that although the temperature
sensor element of the thermostat is mounted within the stocker in the
naked state by the holder assembly, it can be protected against the
influence of possible external forces by the guard member provided in
front of the sensor element while allowing the latter to be easily brought
into contact with the ice pieces. Thus, proper detection of the ice stock
level within the stocker can be ensured with improved reliability.
In the first and second embodiments, both the temperature sensor element
and the guard member are inclined in the same direction to facilitate the
ice pieces disposed thereon to move and drop, so that decrease in the ice
stock level or amount within the stocker can be detected with a high
reliability. Further, by inclining the temperature sensor element such
that the end portion thereof located closer to the heater is lower than
the other end, the ice pieces above the sensor element tend to move toward
the heater. This means that the detection sensitivity is increased.
By providing the shielding member as in the second and third embodiments,
it is possible to positively prevent the ice pieces from staying between
the inner wall surface of the stocker and the temperature sensor element,
contributing to enhancement of reliability of the ice stock level
detection.
Further, by providing the oblique guard member similarly to the shielding
member as in the third embodiment, there is no need to dispose the
temperature sensor element and the guard member in a complicated oblique
positional relation, resulting in a simplified structure of the stored ice
level detecting apparatus while facilitating the mounting thereof on the
inner wall surface of the stocker.
It is thought that the present invention and many of its attendant
advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will
be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and
arrangement thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form
hereinbefore described benig merely a preferred or exemplary embodiment
thereof.
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